Security casing for padlock

ABSTRACT

A security casing for a padlock comprises a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls substantially conforming to the body of the padlock whereby the padlock body may be received in the security casing with the top wall of the body exposed. A pair of flexible tongues project from the end walls of the security casing, and each tongue defines a hole for receiving a respective one of the ends of the padlock shackle when the padlock is received in the casing and the free shackle end lockingly engages an opening in the top wall. A mark on one of the walls of the security casing identifies each casing.

United States Patent 1191 Bach 5] Feb. 4, 1975 [5 SECURITY CASING FOR PADLOCK 3,572,063 3/1971 Foote 70/50 t h, -69 2 [76] Inven or Greta-L BM 65 16 nd St Primary ExammerRobert L. Wolfe Flush1ng,N.Y. 11365 {22] F1 d J n 25 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm-Kurt Kelman [21] Appl. No.:436,458 [57] ABSTRACT A security casing for a padlock comprises a bottom L wall, two s1de walls and two end walls substantially lill P1515 fliliiff/ l ooofoooooo oo oo oooo of ooo ooolook woooooo oo 58 Field of Search 70/50, 54, 55, 56,455, My i if securfty fwsmg 70/421, 20, 422; 206/52; 249/121, 92, 97; 3 t e mp e 150m, 52 R; 292/307, 307 B, DIG 2 e tongues pro ect rom the end wa s o t e security v casing, and each tongue defines a hole for receiving a [56] References Cited relspectilve 012;; o; the ends (pf theh padlock shgckhle w en t e pa 0c 15 receive 1n t e casing an t 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS free shackle end lockingly engages an opening in the 1041441 1/1370 Gale top wall. A mark on one of the walls of the security casing identifies each casing. 333111396 3/1967 Hotchkiss 11.: 292/307 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures f-ZXTENTEU FEB 41975 FIG! SECURITY CASING FOR PADLOCK The present invention relates to a security casing for a padlock to prevent undetected unlocking thereof.

Eilferage of padlocked containers has become a major problem, particularly in interstate transportation of merchandise by freight car or truck. Padlocks are used widely for security containers holding the merchandise during shipping. These padlocks are often opened or picked en route by unauthorized persons or in an unauthorized manner, the merchandise is removed from the containers, and the locks are locked again, without anyone having visible proof of such tampering. The theft is detected only at the point of destination when the container is unlocked by the recipient, and there is then no way of tracking down the place where the pilferage occurred.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a security casing for padlocks which is not only cheap and very simple in use but also makes it impossible to open the lock without destroying the casing. Such a casing provides a ready means for detecting tampering with the lock.

As is known, a padlock has a body including a top wall, a shackle including one end rotatably mounted on the top wall and a free end for lockingly engaging an opening in the top wall, and means on the body for locking and unlocking the free shackle end. This means is usually a key insertable in a keyhole in the padlock body and operating the lock, or it may be a combination lock mounted on one of the side walls of the padlock body.

The object of the invention is accomplished by placing the padlock body in a security casing comprising a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls substantially conforming to the padlock body whereby the padlock body is received in the security casing with the top wall of the body exposed. A pair of flexible tongues project from the end walls of the security casing and each tongue defines a hole for receiving a respective one of the shackle ends when the padlock body is received in the casing and the free shackle end lockingly engages the opening in the top wall. An identification mark or code is applied to one of the walls of the security casing exteriorly or interiorly thereof.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a padlock encased in a security casing of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the casing;

FIG. 3 is an end view thereof;

FiG. 4 is a top view of the casing; and

FiG. 5 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of a casing.

Referring now to the drawing, the illustrated padlocck is entirely conventional and shown merely by way of example. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, a padlock with a combination lock is shown while the more frequently used padlock is of the key-operated type.

The illustrated padlock has body 1 including a bottom wall, two side walls, two end walls and a top wall. The exposed shackle 3 is U-shaped and has one longer leg whose end is rotatably mounted on the top wall of the padlock body to permit a selected amount of axial and rotatable movement relative to the body while the free end of the shorter leg of the shackle is movable by the axial and rotatable movement between an unlocked position and a locked position wherein the free shackle end lockingly engages an opening in the top wall of the padlock. The padlock body has means for locking and unlocking the free shackle end, the means illustrated in FIG. 1 being dial assembly 2 constituting a conventional combination lock. Equivalent locking means may be used instead of the illustrated combination lock, a key-operated lock being preferred.

The illustrated and hereinabove described padlock forms no part of the invention, and any other type of padlock may obviously be used in connection with the security casing.

The security casing is a unitary body conforming to the padlock body. It is made ofa suitable sheet material having at least some flexibility and being preferably pliable. The sheet material may be completely flexible or it may have shape-retaining rigidity which, if required by the shape of the padlock body, may readily yield to deformation and then snap back. If flexible, it may be desirable to use a somewhat elastic sheet material so that the same will conform to the shape of the lock when the same is placed thereinto. The sheet material must also tear readily when subjected to a pull. Films or sheets of synthetic resins, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl, polystyrene, foamed plastics, and the like, may be most economical for the purpose. Other sheet materials, such as fabrics or even cardboard, may be used.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, security casing 10 comprises bottom wall 4, two side walls 6 and two end wals 5 substantially conforming to the bottom wall, side walls and end walls of padlock body 1. A pair of flexible tongues 8, 8 project from end walls 5, 5 of security casing 10, each tongue defining hole 9.

In use, the padlock body is placed into the casing while the shackle is in its unlocked position by passing the free end of the shackle through hole 9 of the opposite tongue 8, then moving this tongue along the shackle unit the padlock body is fully received in the casing and the tongue is in engagement with the one end of the shackle which is rotatably mounted on the top wall of the casing. During this emplacement of the padlock body in the security casing, the other tongue is upwardly flexed to remain out of the path of the shackle. After the padlock has been encased in this manner, the shackle is rotated slightly out of alignment with the top wall of the padlock body, the other tongue 8 is flexed downwardly towards the top wall of the encased padlock body, and the free end is rotated back into alignment with the opening in the top wall, hole 9 in the other tongue 8 having also been aligned therewith. The free end of the shackle is now axially depressed to pass through hole 9 of the other tongue and into the top wall opening to lock the padlock.

As best shown in FIG. 2, one of side walls 6 of security casing 10 defines open pocket 7 for receiving dial assembly 2 of the padlock. After the free end of padlock shackle 3 has been locked, the dial of the combination lock may be randomly turned by a finger inserted through the top of open pocket 7 so that it will remain securely locked. The combination lock can be operated only by removing the security casing to expose the dial, pocket 7 snugly fitting the dial assembly,

particularly if the casing material is slightly elastic. Similarly, if a key-operated lock is used, the casing must be removed to expose the keyhole in the padlock body. The security casing can be removed only by tearing it, for instance by tearing off one of the tongues 8. lf this is done, it will become immediately apparent that tampering has occurred.

If desired, pocket 7 may have a circular tear-out portion 7a covering the knob of the combination lock dial. Thus, if the pocket fits too tightly over the dial to permit its manipulation for purposes of securely locking the padlock, portion 7a may be torn out along its peripheral perforation exposing only the knob to permit turning of the dial but not the dial numbers, thus making it impossible to find the combination for opening the lock.

To prevent removal of the original casing and replacement thereof by a like casing after pilferage, each casing has an identification mark on one of the walls. As shown in FIG. 4, this mark 12 may simply be a number but any desired security code may be used for this purpose as long as it identifies each individual security casing, a different mark being used for each casing manufactured. This effectively prevents replacement of a torn casing without discovery. The marking may be provided in the interior, as shown, or on the outside for ready inspection before the security casing is removed.

It may also be useful to provide weep hole 11 in bottom wall 4 of casing 10 to permit rain water or the like to escape from the casing. The casing material may be transparent or colored.

FIG. 5 shows a security casing for a key-operated padlock, this being identical to the above-described casing in structure and operation, except that all its walls are flat to conform to the flat walls of the padlock body, no pocket being required to accommodate a combination lock.

While the invention has been described in connection with one preferred embodiment, it will be understood that many modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims, particularly after benefitting from the present teaching.

What is claimed is:

l. A disposable security casing for a padlock having a body including a top wall. a shackle including one end rotatably mounted on the top wall and a free end for lockingly engaging an opening in the top wall, and means on the body for locking and unlocking the free shackle end, the security casing comprising a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls substantially conforming to the padlock body whereby the padlock body may be received in the security casing with the top wall of the body exposed, a pair of flexible tongues projecting from the end walls of the security casing, each tongue defining a hole for receiving a respective one of the shackle ends when the padlock is received in the casing and the free shackle end lockingly engages the opening in the top wall, and an identification mark on one of the walls of the casing.

.2. The security casing of claim 1, wherein the locking and unlocking means is a dial assembly and one of the side walls of the casing defines a pocket for receiving the dial assembly.

3. The security casing of claim 2, wherein the pocket snugly fits over the dial assembly.

4. The security casing of claim 1, wherein the padlock is key-operated and all the walls of the casing are flat to conform to the flat padlock body walls. 

1. A disposable security casing for a padlock having a body including a top wall, a shackle including one end rotatably mounted on the top wall and a free end for lockingly engaging an opening in the top wall, and means on the body for locking and unlocking the free shackle end, the security casing comprising a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls substantially conforming to the padlock body whereby the padlock body may be received in the security casing with the top wall of the body exposed, a pair of flexible tongues projecting from the end walls of the security casing, each tongue defining a hole for receiving a respective one of the shackle ends when the padlock is received in the casing and the free shackle end lockingly engages the opening in the top wall, and an identification mark on one of the walls of the casing.
 2. The security casing of claim 1, wherein the locking and unlocking means is a dial assembly and one of the side walls of the casing defines a pocket for receiving the dial assembly.
 3. The security casing of claim 2, wherein the pocket snugly fits over the dial assembly.
 4. The security casing of claim 1, wherein the padlock is key-operated and all the walls of the casing are flat to conform to the flat padlock body walls. 